The stunning Niki Schoondergang with her daughters Ieke (4) and Ella (1). Niki had healthy pregnancies and deliveries with each of her daughters but went through a very tough time after Ieke was born. She was a bit of a fussy baby, crying all the time and Niki says that she and her husband felt very unequipped to deal with it. It wasn't the blissful entrance to parenthood they had imagined and rather than band them together it drove them apart. They even broke up for a bit of time before Ella came along. Niki says that she had done her best to ignore some of the things about herself that needed some work and being a mother takes that ability away from you. "You are forced to see all of these aspects of yourself and your interactions personified in another human person who you are taking care of".

Niki sought professional help to work through her sadness and frustration and says that she has gone from one of her lowest points to a place where she is perhaps happier than she has ever been before. She has also found that through sharing her story and her struggles she has suddenly heard of so many others who are going through the same or similar things through very different reasons. Her 30's for her have been these period of insight and self improvement that has led to a better understanding of herself and others. She's still working and very much wants others to know that they are not alone. She is very proud of herself and where is now and hopes that others can find the same healing.